233

CHAPTER VI

SYNTAX

234

6.0 In the following it is an attempt to deal with only the

syntactic structure of the Malaveda speech in bare outline only.

Syntax is the study of the principles and processes by which

sentences are constructed in particular languages. A sentence is

defined as any form that occurs in absolute position. The various

sentence types in this' tribal language is classifed into three major

groups such as simple, complex and compound. There are seven

major types of sentence patterns viz. Intransitive, Transitive,

Causative, Imperative, Optative, Negative and Interrogative.

6.1 SIMPLE SENTENCE

Simple sentence are those with a single subject and

predicate with or without attributes qualifying and modifying the

subject noun and predicate verb respectively. Such sentences are

minimally specified \\ith a SUbject noun and a predicate finite

verb. With respect to the particular verb which occurs in such

sentences the structure would show characteristic differences as in

the case of copular sentences which do not obligatorily demand the

presence of the copular verb. Consequently the following

classification can be done.

6.1.1

eg:

Single verb predicate

vantu

'came'

pooyi(

went

karancu

'cried'

235

6.1.2. Copular types (with optional deletion or copular 'be' verb)

eg: addu

that

·addu

that

maraD:

tree

maram

tree

aanRi

is

'That is a tree '

iddu

this

iddu

oru

a

kaakka

kaakka

crow

aanRi

is

'This is a crow'

6.1.3 Other types

236

6.1. 3.1. With existential 'be I verb

a. absolute existence

es: tayvam untu

God is

There is God

b. temporal existence

es: naale

tomorrow

katakkalu

atkadakkal

canta

market

aanRi

is

'There is market at Kadakkal tomorrow!

naale

tomorrw

pallikkuutattilu

in the school

patittaIr.

class

untu

is

'There is class in the school tomorrow I

c. With location

es: viittilu

in the house

payyu

cow

untu

is

237

'There is cow in the house'

anta kuureelu untu

father in the house is

'Father is in the house'

d. Posessing thing

eg: naankekku

We

'\\Ie have money'

avanu

he

'He has house'

panam.money

kuure

house

untu

is

untu

is

e. Possessing quality

eg: veyilinu

Sunlight

cuutu

hot

aanRi

is

'sun light has hot'

puuvinu

to flower

'Flower has smell'

238

manam

sIJlell

untu

is

6.1. 3•2• With nominal and verbal attributives

6.1.3.2.1 Nominal attributives

a. Possive

eg: enRe payyu

'My cow

enRe pUlle

,child /My

b. Demonstrative

ag: enRe aa paYY~~J

\ thatMy cow

enRe if pulle

\ My this child

c. Numeral

eg: enRe aa oru payyu

239

My that one cow

enRe aa oru moonu

My that one son

d. Adjectival

eg: enRe aa oru kaRutta payyu

My that one black cow

The adjectival element in the nominal phrase can be

extraposed before demonstrative and numeral elements as shown

below:

eg: enRe aa oru karutta payyu

my that one black cow

enRe kaRutta aa oru payyu

, my black that one cow,

6.1.3.2.2. Verbal attributives

(a) Manner

eg: - aval vekkam vantu

she quickly came

She came quickly.

240

b. Place

aval kateelu pooyi

she to the shop went

I She went to the shopi

c. Time

avan

She

innale

yesterday

vantu

came

I She came yesterday I

Nominal elements other than attributives illustrated in the

foregoing discussion above (like Direct object, Indirect object and

other class nominals) will receive detailed treatment in the

discussion of other sentence types.

6.2. Complex sentences

Complex sentences are those which consists of a main

sentence with one or more subordinate clauses. These clauses are

characterised by typical occcur,rer,ce of the predicate non-finite

verbs with its subject subordinated to the main sentence. In fact

a sentence which involves a finite verb and one or more non-finite

verbs would be a c.olJ1plex one. There are different types of

subordinate clauses which are attested below.

6.2.1 Participial clauses

241

6.2.1.1 Rela tive participial clause

eg: addu innale vaankiya payyu aanRi

that yesterday bought cow is

'It is the cow which bought yesterday.'

addu

that

eppalum

always

karayunna

crying

pulla aanRi

child is

'It is the child who is al ways crying'

6.2.1.2. Verbal participial clause

eg: anta ooti vantu

father having-run came

'Father came by running'

pulla karancu oRanki

child having-cried slept

'child slept by crying'

242

6.2.1.3. Conditional participial clause

eg: nii paRancaal avan paatum

you(Sg) if said he will sing

'If you said he will sing'

nii viliccaal aval varum

you if call she will corne

'If you call she will come'

6.2.1.4. Purposive participial clause

eg: aval

she

sinima

film

kaanaan

for seeing

pooyi

went

6.2.2

'She \\En t for seeing cinema'

complement clause

e8: nii paRancatu ceri aanRi

you (sg·) said that right is

'The fact that you said is right'

avan ceytaddu teRRu aanRi

he that did

243

wrong is

'The fact that he did is wrong"

6. 2. 3. No minalized clause

eg: avanRe

of he

Paattu

song

nallatu'

good

~aanRi

is

'His song is good

6.3. Compound sentence

Compound sentences are those with two or more co-ordinate

sentences constituted to function as a single sentence. This involves

conjunction (of elEments in both the nominal and verbal phrases of

the co-ordinated sentences and often, also between the entire

sentences in which case no conjunctive particle is being employed

as sentential conjunction here), disjunction and sentence initiation in

a discourse.

6.3.1. Conjunction

6.3.1.1. Nominal

eg: niiyun: -naanuJr. naale pookuJr.

you(sgJ-and I-and tOlTorrow will go

244

'You and I will go tomorrow'

avanum

he-and

avalum

she-and

kaRancu

cried

\ He and she cried f

6.3.1.2. Verbal

eg: avaR

they

paRancum

said-and

karancull1

crid-and

talantu

tired

I'They tired by saying and crying

pulla

child

ootim

ran-and

caatim vantu

jumped-and came

'Child came by running and jumping'

6.3.1.3. Sentential

eg: avan

he

paat!

sang

aval

she

aat!

danced

'He sang and she danced'

-naan paRancu avan eluti.

I said

245

he wrote

'I said and he wrote'

6.3.2. Disjunction

6.3.2.1. Nominal

eg: - naale ....n6:anoo avenoo varum

tomorrow I-or he-or will come

'Either I or he will come tomorrow'

avaloo

she-or

ammayoo

mother-or

poovum

will go'

Either she or mother will go tomorrow

6.3.2.2. Verbal

eg: avan

She

karancoo

cried-or

.paRancoo

laughed-or

poonRi

went

He went either by crying or by laughing

6.3.3. Sentence ini tia tion

eg: 1. appo nii entu ceyyum'

246

then you(sg) what will do

'Then what will you do'

2. addukontu enikku panam veenam

because of that me money need

,Because of that. I need money

6.4 Intransitive sentences:

Intransitve sentences are those which involve intransitive

verbs which do not co-occur with object nominals'

These verbs are of the following types

6.4.1. Intrasitve verbs Transitive verbs

eg: 1. keeRi

avan

he

to climb

marattil

on the tree

keeRRi

keeRi

climbed

made to climb I

'He climbed on the tree'

avane

to him

marattil

on the tree

keeRRi

made to clim b

247

'(She) made hirr to climb on the tree'

2. nUnk 'to move'

avan niinki

he moved

'He rr:oved'

niikk -' make to move'

avane

to him (she)

nikki

made to Jr.ove

'She made hirr; to rr;ove'

3. tin-' to eat' tiiRR - 'make to eat I

avan

he

cooRu

rice

tintu

ate

'He ate rice'

avane

'to him

cooRu

rice

tiiRii

(she) made to eat'

'(She) made him to eat rice'

4. keta- 'to lie I ketatt - 'make to lie'•

aval

She

paayilu

on mat

248

ketaritu

lay

'She lay on the mat'

avale

to her

paayilu

on the mat

ketatti

made to lie

'He made her to lie on the mat'

5. tunnk - 'to hang' tuukki - 'rr.ade to hang'

avan

he

'He

avane

to him

tuunki

hung

hung'

tuukki

made to haung'

'(He) made him to hung'.

6.4.2. Intransitive verbs (which will not have transitive counter

parts) •

eg: avan karancu

he

'He

aval

\ she

'She

cried

cried'

kuliccu

bathed

bathed'

Intransitive verbs will not co-occur with object noItinals

unlike the transitive verbs.

6. 5. Transitive sentence:

Transitive sentences are those which involve transitive

verbs of the following types which co-occur with object nominals.

These verbs are of the following types

6.5.1. Transitive verbs Intransitive verbs

eg: aat - 'make to dance' aat - 'dance'

avale aatti

'He made her to dance'

aval aati

'She danced'

250

'You (sg) should go'

nii pookanta.you (sgo) should not go

'you (sg) should not go'

2. kalikk to play

avan kalikkinRi

he is playing

'He is playing'

avan kalikkinRilla•

he not playing

'He is not playing'

6.8 Optative Sentence

6.8.1. Optative sentences are those which involve the optative

verbs.

eg: aval varatte

she let come

'Let her come'

251

'you (sg.) come'

niinka vari

you (pl.) , come'

varii

'you (pl.) come'

The imperative sentence can be preceded by a vocative

nominal in which case also the second person sUbject can optionally

be deleted.

eg: raamatii nii inku vaa

Ramati you here come

'Ramati. you come here'

raamatii

Ramati

inku

here

vaa

come

6.7.1

, JRamati. come here

Imperative negative

eg: 1. poo- 'to go'

nii

you (sgJ

pootaa.Ishould go

252

6.6 CAUSATIVE SENTENCE

Causative sentence are those which involve a causative verb

which would generally satisfy all syntactic functions of transitives

by co-occuring with object nominals but also will have an

additional function of co-occuring with a nominal other than object

nOITlinals whose syntactic function would be that of an external

causer.

eg: aval

She

avane

to him

utuppa

shirt

itiiccu

caused to wear

'She caused to hilP to wear shirt I

amlJluUanu . panam.

to grandfather JIloney

kotuppicclJ.

(he) caused to give

, (He) caused to give money. to grand-father'

6.7 IMPERAUVE SENTENCE

Imperative sentences are those which involve imperative

verbs. These sentences would typically involve the second person

sUbject which can be deleted optionally.

eg: sg. nii vea

'You (sg.) come'

vae

253

The occurrence of the object nominals in intransitive

sentences can be iullustrated as shown below.

(a) Direct object nominal

The direct object nominal will be in the accusative case.

eg:- avan enne ajju

he to me beat

'He beat me'

(b) Indirect object neminal

The indirect object nominals will be in the dative case.

eg:- anta enikku oru payyine tantu

father to me one cow gave

'Father gave me a cow'

Genrally when an inanimate noD'; inaI occurs as direct object.

the accusative case will not be added.

eg:- anta

father

enikku

to me

caaya

tea

tantu

gave

'Father gave me tea'

254

2. uRakk - 'make to sleep'

avane uRakki

to him (she) made to sleep

, (she) made him to sleep'

aval uRanki

she slept

,she slept

uRant- 'to sleep'

3. tiRR - make to eat

avane miinu tiiRRi

tin- 'to eat'

6.5.2

to him fish (she) made to eat

(she) made him to eat fish /

Tnmsit1ve verbs (which will not have intransitive

counterparts)

eg:- kuti- 'to drink'

avan caaya kUjju

he tea drank

'He drank tea'

avan

he

aatatte

let dance

255

'Let hiJI1 dance'

6.9 NEGATIVE SENTENCES

Negation is effected either by adding a negative marker to

the verb stem or by using negative 'be' verbs.

The following would illustrate negation in sentences·

6.9.1 sentence negation

6.9.1.1. Regular verbs.

eg: 1. avan vantu

'He came'

avan vantilla

'He did not came'

avan vanRi

He comes

avan vanRilla

'He does not come'

avan varum

'He will come'

avan varuulla

He will not come

2. anta tintu

Father ate

anta tintilla

'Father did not ate'

anta tinninRi

'Father is eating'

anta tinnuntilla

'Father is not eating'

anta tinnum

'Father will eat'

anta tinnuulla

,will not eatFather

256

257

6.9.1.2. Imperative verbs

e8: nii

you (sg.)

iddu

this

eddoo

should take

'You (sg.) should take this

nii etukkantaa

you (58·) should not take

'you (S8) should not take'

6.9.1.3. 'be' verbs

e8: anta kuureelu untu

father in the house is

, Father is in the house'

anta kuureelu ilIa

father in the house not

'Father is not in the house'

addu

that

maanka

mango

aanRi

is

I That is mango I

addu

that

manka

mango

258

alIa

is not

6.9.2

'That is not mango

Clause negation

6.9.2.1 Relative participial clause

eg: innale vanta pulla

yesterday which caIP€ child

'The child who came yesterday'

innale

yesterday

varaatta

which did not came

pUlla

child

'The child who did not came yesterday J

6.9.2.2. Verbal participial clause

eg: avan

he

paRancu

having said

karancu

cried

'He cried by saying'

aval

she

ootaata

without running

vantu

came

259

'She came without running'

6.10 INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES

The interrogative sentences in the Malaveda speech would

fall into the following categories:

(1) Yes - no questions

(2) e - questions

6.10.1 Yes - No questions

They are interrogations of statement sentences demanding an

answer either yes or no

6.10.1.1. With regular verbs.

eg: aval paatinRi

she sings

She is singing'

aval paatimii?

she is singing?

'Is she singing?

aval varuw

she will come

260

'She will come'

aval varumee

she will COIll€

'Will she come'?

aval vantu

she carr,e

'She came'

aval vantiyaa? .

she did come?

'Did she came?

6.10.1. 2. With 'be' positive verbs

amrra

mother

kuurelu untu

in house is

'Mother is in the house'

amma kuureelu untee?

mother in the house is ?

'Is mother in the house ?

261

6.10.1.3 With 'be' negative verbs

eg: iddu

this

maram

tree

aanRi ?

is

'It is tree'

iddu

this

Is it

maram

tree

a tree?

alli! ?

i_~ it ?

6.10.1.4. \\ith nominal predicate

iddu payyoo

it is it car

'Is it car' ?

6.10.2. e - questions

e - questions consist of interrogative nominals involving the

interrogative base e-/ee- and also aarn (who) which do not actually

have the e- element but instead an aa- element. The interrogative

words are given belo w•

entu

eeddu

'what'

I which'

aaru

enku

eppalu.

ettaRa

enkane

262

'who'

, where'

'when'

'how Illuch, how many'

'how'

The morphological structure of the inte~rogative words is

given below:

Interrogative Suffix W,eaningbase

e - -ntu 'wha,t'

ee - -ddu 'which'

aa - -ru 'who'

e - -tlku 'where'

e - -ppalu 'when'

e - -ttaRa 'how much, how many'

e - -nI<ane 'how'

263

The following chart would further illustrate the interrogative words

Interrogative Designation Answer

entu [ animate ] payyu 'cow'±

human maanka 'mango'

coota ' personal name (Fern.) ,

eeddu

lanimate

1kaale 'bullock'

±human addu 'that'

pulle 'child'

aaru + human anta ' father'

enku + location anku 'there'

eppalu + tew poral innale ' yesterday'

ettaRa + quantitative attaRa 'that much'

enkane + manner ankane 'in that manner'

eg:/entu/ addu entu aanRi ?

that what is,

What is that

addU oru payyu

that one cow

'That is a cow'

addu entu tinninRi

that what is eating

, \\-hat is that eating'

264

addu poocca tinninRi

that grass is eating

'That is eating grass'

ninRe peeru entu

your name what

'What is your name'

enRe

my

peeru

name

teevani.teevani

'My name Is Tevani'

/eeddu/ addu eeddu pulle

that which child

, Which child is that'

addu cooteenRa moolu

that cota's daughter

'That is Cota' s daughter'

ninRe

your

kuura

house

265

eeddu ?

which

'Which is your house'

enRe

Iry

kuure

house

addu

that

'My house is that'

addu eeddu payyu ?

that which is cow

'Which is that cow'

addu kunc1nRe payyu

that kunju's cow

'That is Kunju' scow'

/aaru/ addu

that

aaru ?

who

'Who 1s that'

addu anta

266

that father

'That is my father'

/enku/ ninRe kate enku aanRi

you (Gen.) shop

'Where is your shop?'

where is

enRe

my

kate

shop

anku aanRi

there is

'My shop is there'

/eppalu/ nii

you

eppalu.

when

vantee?

came

'When did you come ?

naan ippalu vantu

I now came

'I came now'

/ettaRa/ ettaRa maanka tintu ?

howmany mango ate

267

'How many mangoes (you) ate' ?

pattu lIlaanka tintu

ten mango ate

'(I) ate ten mangoes'

/enkane/avan enkane vantu

he how came

'How did he came?'

avan

he

ooti

by run

vantu

came

'He came by running'

6.11 BASIC WORD ORDER TYPE

6.11.1 S +V

eg: avan

'She

vantu

came'

6.11.2. S + 01 + V

eg: avan

he

manka

lIlango

tintu

ate

He

6.11. 2.1. 01 + S+V

ate

268

rrango

eg: maanka

mango

avan

she

tintu

ate

'She ate mango'

6.11. 3. S + °2 + °1 + V

eg: avan enikku maanka tantu

he to me mango gave

'He gave me mango'

6.11.3.1. 02 + S + °1+ ·V

eg: enikku avan maanka tantu

to me he mango gave

'He gave me mango'

6.11.3.2. S + 01 + 02 + V

eg: avan

he

maanka

mango

enikku

to me

tantu

gave

'He gave mango to me'